The Nigeria Government has announced that candidates below the age of 18 will no longer be allowed to sit for secondary school leaving examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman disclosed this in a televised interview on Sunday.
Mamman explained that the federal government has directed WAEC, which conducts the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and NECO, which oversees the Senior School Certificate Examination to enforce the 18-year age requirement for candidates wishing to take these exams.
Mamman emphasised that the age limit for candidates taking the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is 18.
The minister clarified that this is not a new policy but a reinforcement of existing regulations.
He further explained that this policy ensures students have spent the requisite years in each educational phase before taking these crucial exams.
He pointed out that the educational journey from early child care to senior secondary school should ideally culminate when a student is about 17 and a half years old, thus aligning with the 18-year minimum age requirement.
Mamman provided a breakdown of the educational timeline, highlighting that early care typically lasts for five years.
Children begin primary education at age six and spend six years in primary school, followed by three years in junior secondary school and another three years in senior secondary school.
By this timeline, students are expected to be 18 years old by the time they are eligible for university admission.
This enforcement comes as the government seeks to standardise educational processes and ensure students are adequately prepared for higher education.
